Everyone knows how Apple loves to keep things proprietary, but I guess when it comes to software, it is only a matter of time before someone with the technical know how and passion overcomes whatever stumbling blocks that you put in front. Take Apple’s iPhone for example – on an official basis, it is actually a “closed” architecture where only the folks at Apple as well as those who have received a collective nod of approval from Apple’s top brass have the ability to write applications for it. Hackers, however, are not respecter of such protocols and decided to dig deep into the iPhone’s software innards while trying to figure out exactly how applications are run. As we know, all work and no play makes Jack a dull boy, which is why Jack now has some classic Nintendo games running on the iPhone thanks to the above mentioned industrious hackers.

A programmer with the handle “Stepwhite” has managed to get the InfoNES core up and running on the iPhone. What does this mean for the iPhone user? You will now be able to run classics such as Mario, Zelda, and Metroid. Don’t go jumping up and down and celebrating just yet though – I’ve trawled through the video and discovered that the emulator runs way too slow for a decent gaming experience. How about controls, you ask? Well, Stepwhite has included an actual controller image onto the iPhone’s screen that looks cute but works poorly. That’s what you get for a full touchscreen device with no respectable amount of buttons available for navigation and input.

Since it isn’t exactly running up to snuff, it is safe to say that people will still have to turn to their Game Boy Advance SPs for that classic gaming fix. Hopefully Apple will be more open with future software development kits. At the very least you now know that your iPhone is capable of having everybody’s favorite rotund plumber make his rounds.

Source: Information Week